Last weekend I managed to organise an A.C.W. game at home with five of the regular members of my local wargames club - Chris, Steve, Richard, Stuart and Darren. It was a very enjoyable game fought in the finest of wargaming spirits.

It was an imaginary scenario, with each side trying to outflank the other and exit troops off the table, as well as capture the station. Each side had a division, the Union one of four brigades (6, 6, 4 and 4 regiments, plus a battery each), the Confederacy one of three brigades (all 6 regiments, plus a battery, but lots of veteran units). Regiments vary in size from eight to four bases.

Victory went to the Union side, though if their reinforcements had not arrived far more promptly than my random dice roll expected, they would probably have lost the game. The Confederates were hampered by having two of their three brigades come onto the table along the same road.

Anyway, here are some photographs of the table and some of the action; as umpire, I found it difficult to get a moment to take pictures, plus get down to the other end of the table! Chris, who is the club's regular camera man, took a good many photographs and you can see them on the club site on Facebook - New Buckenham Historical Wargamers - see the Links in the margin of this page.

The central farm - a Sarissa MDF model.

View down the table - 8 feet by 4 feet, which is the largest I can squeeze into the dining room!

The bluffs were made by Steve and very effective they are too. He also enhanced all the original hex squares - which were for 1/300 models and rather tatty by the time I bought them second hand - with his terrain making talents.

Most of the snake rail fences are home made using wooden kebab sticks or drink stirrers, then undercoated black and painted over in Vallejo medium grey.

The station - another Sarissa MDF house but which has a porch that looks very much like a small local halt platform for the time. I added the stovepipe chimney. The track is HO gauge which fits better with 28mm scale figures. The snake rail fences here are commercial ones.

A shot of the Union 1st Brigade on the march. It is surprising how much road space six regiments and a battery takes up when you see it on the table!

Red counters or explosion markers - made from coloured pipe cleaners - indicate a unit is "Under Fire".

The Confederate 2nd Brigade crossing the ford.

The remnants of the Confederate 1st Brigade, which eventually had to retreat after a bold attempt to break through to the railway station and the turnpike.

I hope you enjoyed the pictures and don't forget to look on the club site for more!